Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s troops make gains in Bakhmut but suffer ‘significant casualties’

Russian forces are continuing to make gains in Bakhmut but are suffering “significant casualties”, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

It comes as a Ukrainian general says Russia is sending more elite troops including special forces to support the Wagner Group in the battle for the besieged city in the east of the country.

“The defence forces exhausted the Wagnerites. The enemy is forced to involve special forces and airborne assault units in the battles for Bakhmut,” said Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces.

He added that Vladimir Putin’s soldiers are “actively using their artillery and aviation, destroying the city that they cannot capture”.

This comes a day after a Russia-backed official said that Moscow’s forces control more than 75 per cent of Bakhmut but cautioned that it is still too early to talk about the besieged city’s fall.

US officials are trying to trace the source of the leak, the worst to hit the American military in many years.

Key Points

• Russia forces make gains in Bakhmut but suffer ‘significant casualties’, says US think-tank

• Putin sending special forces, airborne units to help out Wagner

• UN tally of confirmed civilian deaths nears 8,500

• Russia claims 75% of Bakhmut captured

• Ukraine says Russia using 'scorched earth' tactics in Bakhmut

• Tactics will change, not strategic moves, says Ukraine after leaks

What we know so far on the leaked Pentagon documents

04:15 , Arpan Rai

It’s been less than a week since news of highly classified military documents on the Ukraine war surfaced, sending the Pentagon into full-speed damage control to assure allies and assess the scope of the leak.

The information on scores of slides has publicised potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defence capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters, raising questions about whether the leak will erode allies’s trust in sharing information with the US or impact Ukraine’s plans to intensify the fight against Russia this spring.

This is a look at what the documents are, what is known about how they surfaced, and their potential impact.

What we know so far on the leaked Pentagon documents

Wagner claims 80% of Bakhmut captured

03:56 , Arpan Rai

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has announced that his mercenary fighters have captured more than 80 per cent of Bakhmut and control the salt mining city’s major points.

“In Bakhmut, the larger part, more than 80 per cent is now under our control, including the whole administrative centre, factories, warehouses, the administration of the city,” he said in a video posted by a Russian military blogger.

Wagner’s forces are pressing on with their encirclement of Bakhmut, he said.

The top Ukrainian military officials have not addressed the claims directly but said that their troops were holding firm against fierce attacks.

US will ‘turn over every rock’ to find source of leak – Pentagon chief

03:43 , Arpan Rai

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said that the country will investigate the recent purported leak of classified documents until the source is found.

“We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it,” Mr Austin said during a press conference at the State Department.

More than 50 of the documents labelled “Secret” and “Top Secret”, revealing details of military capabilities of US and its allies and adverseries, have been reviewed by Reuters after they first appeared on social media platforms in March

The Pentagon was aware that the documents had been leaked and posted dated 28 February and 1 March but was not certain if the documents had made their way to online platforms previously.

“These are things that we will find out as we continue to investigate,” the top official said.

Leaked documents may have origin in chatroom for gamers

03:30 , Sam Rkaina

A major leak of classified U.S. documents that’s shaken Washington and exposed new details of its intelligence gathering may have started in a chatroom on a social media platform popular with gamers.

Held on the Discord platform, which hosts real-time voice, video and text chats, a discussion originally created to talk about a range of topics turned to the war in Ukraine. As part of debates about Ukraine, according to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that were allegedly classified, first typing them out with the poster’s own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, beginning to post images of papers with folds in them.

The posts appear to have gone unnoticed outside of the chat until a few weeks ago, when they began to circulate more widely on social media and get picked up by major news outlets. The leaks have alarmed U.S. officials and sparked a Justice Department investigation.

The records have provided startling and surprisingly timely details of U.S. and NATO assistance to Ukraine. They also provided clues about efforts to assist Ukraine in its war with Russia, including an anticipated spring offensive.

The scale of the exposure has yet to be determined. Also unclear is whether any government worked to share the documents or manipulate them.

Click here for the full story.

Tuesday recap: Wagner group claims forces control 80% of Bakhmut

02:45 , Sam Rkaina

On the ground, the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed in a video posted on Tuesday that his forces now control more than 80 per cent of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the capture of which Moscow believes will be a stepping stone to taking other, larger cities in the area.

Bakhmut is in the Donbas, which contains the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the control of which is one of Moscow’s aims in the war.

Bakhmut has been the scene of some of the most intense fighting of the invasion so far. In a video published by a Russian military blogger on the Telegram messaging app, Mr Prigozhin is seen showing on a map of the area how his forces are continuing their encirclement of the now devastated city, which before Russia’s invasion had been home to around 70,000 people.

“In Bakhmut, the larger part, more than 80 per cent, is now under our control, including the whole administrative centre, factories, warehouses, the administration of the city,” Mr Prigozhin said.

The claim was immediately denied by Kyiv. Serhii Cherevatyi, the spokesperson for the eastern grouping of the Ukrainian armed forces, told CNN: “I’ve just been in touch with the commander of one of the brigades that are defending the city. I can confidently state that the Ukrainian defence forces control a much larger percentage of the territory of

.”

Leaked Pentagon documents on Ukraine ‘altered to understate Russian losses'

01:45 , Sam Rkaina

US officials had previously said that some of the documents circulating online, giving battlefield casualty estimates from Ukraine, appeared to have been altered to understate Russian losses.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the leak, but said: “There is in fact a tendency to always blame everything on Russia. It is, in general, a disease.”

One of the latest leaks claimed that Egypt was planning to supply Russia covertly with rockets and other munitions, although the US was said to believe that the plan had never been carried out, according to The Washington Post, which reported having seen the document.

A spokesperson for Egypt’s foreign ministry, Ahmed Abu Zeid, told the Post: “Egypt’s position from the beginning is based on non-involvement in this crisis, and committing to maintain equal distance with both sides, while affirming Egypt’s support to the UN charter and international law.”

An unnamed Egyptian official, quoted in state media, called the report an “informational absurdity” and said that Egypt follows a “balanced policy” with all international parties.

As for Kyiv’s response, Mykhailo Podolyak – an adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky – said Ukraine needs more long-range weapons and “less contemplation on leaks”.

US seeks to reassure allies over Pentagon leaks about Ukraine

Wednesday 12 April 2023 00:45 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine has said that the US has made clear its “iron-clad” support for the country’s fight against Russia’s invasion, in the wake of a damaging leak of documents from the Pentagon.

Washington has been attempting to limit the diplomatic fallout from the incident, with the documents appearing to highlight information about Ukraine’s military capability as well as intelligence relating to Washington’s allies, including South Korea and Israel.

The US Department of Justice and US security agencies are investigating the release of the documents while they assess the damage to national security, with analysts saying that the documents appear to have been shared initially on the video-game chat platform Discord in an effort to win an argument about the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said that the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, had assured him in a phone call that Washington still backed Kyiv’s effort to win the war with Russia, and had rejected any notion of doubt in Ukraine’s military capacity.

“During our call today, [Blinken] reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. support and vehemently rejected any attempts to cast doubt on Ukraine’s capacity to win on the battlefield,” he tweeted. “The US remains Ukraine’s trustworthy partner, focused on advancing our victory and securing a just peace.”

Trudeau’s website hacked before Ukraine meeting

Tuesday 11 April 2023 23:45 , Sam Rkaina

Mr Trudeau’s official website on Tuesday morning showed a “service is unavailable” error. The prime minister said the cyber attacks were an “unsurprising” act by Russian hackers.

“It’s not uncommon for Russian hackers to target countries as they are showing their steadfast support for Ukraine,” Trudeau said, adding that Canada was not going to be dissuaded by such attacks.

“We are aware of reports that some Government of Canada websites have been offline,” a spokesperson for Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) said in a statement, and echoed Trudeau’s comment that it not an uncommon occurrence in countries hosting visits by Ukrainian government officials.

“While these incidents draw attention, they have very little impact on the systems affected,” the CSE spokesperson said.

Canada has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine and committed more than C$8 billion ($5.94 billion) to Ukraine in financial, military, humanitarian and other assistance since January 2022, just before the February invasion.

Canada imposes new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:41 , Sam Rkaina

Canada has imposed new sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pledged fresh military support for Kyiv after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Toronto.

As the two leaders met, Trudeau’s official website was shut down and the Canadian spy service acknowledged that “some” other government pages had also been offline.

Canada will send 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns and 2.4 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine sourced from Colt Canada, while the new sanctions would target 14 Russian individuals and 34 entities.

Trudeau said Canada was also imposing sanctions on nine entities tied to the Belarusian financial sector to further pressure Russia’s “enablers in Belarus.”

“We will continue to support Ukraine with everything needed for as long as necessary,” Trudeau said.

“Ukraine feels the colossal support of Canada in every area ... and we really appreciate it,” said Shmyhal, the highest ranking Ukrainian to visit Canada since the start of the war over a year ago.

The two discussed a range of subjects including further military support and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine, before signing a joint declaration to modernize trade between the two countries.

No ships inspected under the Ukraine Black Sea grain deal on Tuesday

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:42 , Sam Rkaina

No ships were inspected on Tuesday under the Ukraine Black Sea grain deal “as the parties needed more time to reach an agreement on operational priorities,” the United Nations said, adding that routine inspections were due to resume on Wednesday.

“We urge all involved to meet their responsibilities to ensure that vessels continue to move smoothly and safely in the interest of global food security,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, adding that there are currently 50 vessels waiting to move to the Ukrainian ports.

All ships are inspected by officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations in waters near Turkey on the way in and out of Ukraine. Official online data shows no ships were inspected on Tuesday.

Since the deal allowing the safe wartime export of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports was agreed in July, more then 27.5 million tonnes of food have been exported. Dujarric said this had contributed to the lowering of food prices globally.

“This critical work is done against the backdrop of the ongoing war and active hostilities. We do not underestimate the challenges, but we know they can be overcome,” he said. “The U.N. team is working closely with all sides, taking into consideration all parties’ concerns.”

The deal - initially brokered last July by Turkey and the United Nations - was renewed last month for at least 60 days, half the intended period.

“The global humanitarian benefits of the initiative are evident and are not limited to exports to specific low-income countries. It is in everyone’s interest to keep it going,” Dujarric said.

Russia has said it will only extend the deal beyond May 18 if impediments to its export of agricultural products and fertilizer are removed. Moscow’s demands include returning the Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT banking system and unblocking the financial activities of fertilizer companies.

To help persuade Russia to allow Ukraine to resume its Black Sea grain exports last year, a three-year deal was also struck in July in which the United Nations agreed to help Russia with its food and fertilizer exports.

Western powers have imposed tough sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While its food and fertilizer exports are not sanctioned, Moscow says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance industries are a barrier to shipments.

Ukraine resumes electricity exports despite Russian attacks

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:44 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine began resuming electricity exports to European countries on Tuesday, its energy minister said, a dramatic turnaround from six months ago when fierce Russian bombardment of power stations plunged much of the country into darkness in a bid to demoralize the population.

The announcement by Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko that Ukraine was not only meeting domestic consumption demands but also ready to restart exports to its neighbors was a clear message that Moscow’s attempt to weaken Ukraine by targeting its infrastructure did not work.

Ukraine’s domestic energy demand is “100%” supplied, he told The Associated Press in an interview, and it has reserves to export due to the “titanic work” of its engineers and international partners.

Russia ramped up infrastructure attacks in September, when waves of missiles and exploding drones destroyed about half of Ukraine’s energy system. Power cuts were common across the country as temperatures dropped below freezing and tens of millions struggled to keep warm.

Moscow said the strikes were aimed at weakening Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, while Western officials said the blackouts that caused civilians to suffer amounted to war crimes. Ukrainians said the timing was designed to destroy their morale as the war marked its first anniversary.

Ukraine had to stop exporting electricity in October to meet domestic needs.

Engineers worked around the clock, often risking their lives to come into work at power plants and keep the electricity flowing. Kyiv’s allies also provided help. In December, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $53 million in bilateral aid to help the country acquire electricity grid equipment, on top of $55 million for energy sector support.

Biden speaks to parents of journalist detained in Russia

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:01 , Sam Rkaina

President Joe Biden has spoken to the parents of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, nearly two weeks after the Moscow-based journalist was detained in Russia and charged with espionage.

Biden made the call as he flew to Belfast to start a four-day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland. The call happened one day after the Biden administration formally declared the reporter had been “wrongfully detained.”

The designation elevates Gershkovich’s case for the U.S. government and means that a particular State Department office will take the lead on seeking his release.

Before departing Washington on Tuesday, Biden again condemned the journalist’s detention. Both the U.S. government and Wall Street Journal have vehemently denied the Russian accusation that Gershkovich is a spy.

“We’re making it real clear that it’s totally illegal what’s happening, and we declared it so,” Biden said. “It changes the dynamic.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters after the call that Biden “felt it was really important to connect with Evan’s family, his parents,” She said that Gershkovich, 31, has been “top of mind” for the president.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the Russian government has yet to grant U.S. consular access to Gershkovich.

“It’s not for lack of trying,” Kirby said, adding that the State Department has been seeking access “ever since the moment we found out that he was detained.”

Russian authorities arrested Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city, on March 29. He is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained for alleged spying.

Brazil’s Lula puts Ukraine peace on agenda during visit to China

Tuesday 11 April 2023 19:13 , Sam Rkaina

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva departed Brazil on Tuesday for an official visit to China, where he aims to convince President Xi Jinping to form a group of nations to mediate an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Lula’s visit, postponed from March for health reasons, aims to reset relations with Brazil’s largest trade partner following a frosty four years under his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula is also seeking to put Brazil back on the international stage after a period of relative isolation by Bolsonaro, who spurned his country’s traditional role in multilateral forums and drew criticism for not protecting the Amazon rainforest.

When he meets Xi on Friday, Lula has said he will suggest a proposal to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, an initiative that among Western leaders has only been welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

“I am convinced that both Ukraine and Russia are waiting for someone else to say, ‘Let’s sit down and talk,’” Lula told journalists last week.

Lula has suggested a peace solution could be the return of newly invaded territory, though not Crimea - an option that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected outright.

For his initiative to advance, Lula needs China to send a message to Russia, said a European diplomat in Brasilia.

“Lula knows that China is the only country Russia will listen to,” said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity and adding: “People are waiting to see if it gets some traction from other countries, like France and Germany.”

US intelligence leak has 'serious level of inaccuracy', says Britain

Tuesday 11 April 2023 17:26 , Liam James

Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there was “a serious level of inaccuracy” in a widely-reported leak of alleged classified US information.

“Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said in a statement published on Twitter.

US national security agencies and the Justice Department are investigating the release of dozens of classified documents to assess the damage to national security and relations with allies and other countries, including Ukraine.

Hungary signs new energy deal with Russia

Tuesday 11 April 2023 16:31 , Liam James

Hungary has signed new agreements to ensure its continued access to Russian energy – a sign of the country’s continuing diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow which have confounded some European leaders amid the war in Ukraine.

Speaking at a news briefing in Moscow, Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said Russian state energy company Gazprom has agreed to allow Hungary, if needed, to import quantities of natural gas beyond the amounts agreed to in a long-term contract that was amended last year.

The price of the gas, which would reach Hungary through the Turkstream pipeline, would be capped at 150 euros (£131.80) per cubic meter, Mr Szijjarto said, part of an agreement that will allow Hungary to pay down gas purchases on a deferred basis if market prices go above that level.

Mr Szijjarto’s trip to Russia’s capital was unusual for an official from a European Union (EU) country.

Most members of the 27-nation bloc have distanced themselves from Mr Putin over his invasion of Ukraine and sought to wean their countries off Russian fossil fuels.

The Hungarian government has lobbied heavily in the EU to be exempted from any sanctions imposed on Russian gas, oil or nuclear fuel, and has also threatened to veto proposed EU actions against Moscow.

Russian forces in Crimea brace for possible Ukraine assault

Tuesday 11 April 2023 15:23 , Joe Middleton

The Moscow-appointed leader of Crimea said Tuesday the region is on guard for what may be an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Sergei Aksyonov told reporters that Russian forces in Crimea had built “modern, in-depth defenses” and had “more than enough” troops and equipment to repel a possible Ukrainian assault after 13 months of war following Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“We cannot underestimate the enemy, but we can definitely say that we are ready (for an attack) and that there will be no catastrophe,” he said.

Russian forces in Crimea brace for possible Ukraine assault

Russian forces in Crimea brace for possible Ukraine assault

Tuesday 11 April 2023 15:19 , Joe Middleton

The Moscow-appointed leader of Crimea said Tuesday the region is on guard for what may be an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Sergei Aksyonov told reporters that Russian forces in Crimea had built “modern, in-depth defenses” and had “more than enough” troops and equipment to repel a possible Ukrainian assault after 13 months of war following Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“We cannot underestimate the enemy, but we can definitely say that we are ready (for an attack) and that there will be no catastrophe,” he said.

Russian forces in Crimea brace for possible Ukraine assault

Russia’s Wagner head claims his forces control over 80% of Bakhmut

Tuesday 11 April 2023 14:37 , Joe Middleton

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said in a video posted on Tuesday that his forces controlled more than 80% of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

Bakhmut, a small eastern city in eastern Ukraine, has for months been the target of a major Russian offensive and has seen the heaviest fighting in the nearly 14-month war.

Romania to buy US F-35 fighter planes to bolster air defences

Tuesday 11 April 2023 13:51 , Joe Middleton

Romania aims to buy the latest generation US F-35 fighter planes to boost its air defences, the country’s supreme defence council (CSAT) said in a statement on Tuesday.

The European Union and Nato state has raised defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product this year from 2 per cent, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The country, which shares a 400 mile border with Ukraine, is host to a US ballistic missile defence system and, as of last year, has a permanent alliance battlegroup stationed on its territory.

“Having robust, credible, interoperable, flexible and efficient air defence operational capabilities ... as part of our commitments as a NATO and EU state is key to Romania meeting its defence policy objectives,” the statement said.

“The air force’s modernisation process will continue through the acquisition of last generation F-35 jets.”

Egypt wanted to arm Russia with thousands of rockets in secret ‘to avoid problems with West’ - report

Tuesday 11 April 2023 13:26 , Joe Middleton

Egypt’s president Abdel Fatah El-Sisi had allegedly ordered 40,000 rockets to be discreetly shipped to Russia, showed some of the classified US intelligence documents that were recently leaked on social media.

Discussions between high-level Egyptian officials about the sale of weapons to Russia were found in the series of classified files, reported The Washington Post.

The leaked documents made their way to gaming social media platform Discord in February and March.

Arpan Rai reports.

Egypt ‘wanted to arm Russia in secret to avoid problems with West’

Russia redeploying ‘heavy flamethrower’ thermobaric weapons to elite frontline troops in Ukraine

Tuesday 11 April 2023 12:45 , Joe Middleton

Russia is likely handing over thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to its elite airborne forces, suggesting its use in the continuing war against Ukraine, the British defence ministry said on Tuesday.

The British defence ministry cited Russian media reports on the transfer of TOS-1A thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to Moscow’s airborne forces (VDV) on 3 April.

Thermobaric weapons, fired using the multiple launch rocket systems, are considered to be one of the most brutal war weapons in existence.

Arpan Rai reports.

Russia redeploying ‘heavy flamethrower’ thermobaric weapons to elite frontline troops

Ukrainian children reunited with families after being taken to Russia

Tuesday 11 April 2023 12:20 , Joe Middleton

UN tally of confirmed civilian deaths nears 8,500

Tuesday 11 April 2023 11:50 , Joe Middleton

Nearly 8,500 civilians are confirmed to have been killed in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a U.N. body said on Tuesday, with many thousands more unverified deaths still feared.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it had recorded 8,490 people killed and 14,244 injured between the launch of the invasion of Feb. 24, 2022, and April 9, 2023.

The body has long described its figures as “the tip of the iceberg” because of its limited access to battle zones.

The majority of the deaths were recorded in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government and under attack by Russian forces, including 3,927 people in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which have witnessed intense fighting.

“OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration,” it said in a statement.

Russian forces have pressed their offensive in the eastern Donetsk region where several cities and towns have under heavy bombardment.

A U.N.-mandated investigative body found last month that Russian forces had carried out “indiscriminate and disproportionate” attacks on Ukraine. Russia denies targeting civilians or committing atrocities.

Reuters

Russia set to draft men into armed forces by sending them electronic call-up papers

Tuesday 11 April 2023 11:08 , Joe Middleton

Russia will soon draft men into the army by sending them electronic call-up papers via an online portal in addition to traditional letters, according to draft legislation due to be debated on Tuesday that aims to facilitate mobilisation.

More than 300,000 former soldiers and ex-conscripts are believed to have been called up since President Vladimir Putin announced an emergency draft last year to support Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Currently, conscription papers in Russia have to be delivered in person by the local military enlistment office or via an employer, but the proposed changes to legislation would see conscription papers being sent via recorded mail and online.

Once an electronic summons is received, citizens who fail to show up at the military enlistment office will be automatically banned from travelling abroad.

“The summons is considered received from the moment it is placed in the personal account of a person liable for military service,” Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the Russian parliament’s defence committee, said in comments on television.

Reuters

Russian tennis player speaks out after sparking outrage with Spartak Moscow shirt

Tuesday 11 April 2023 10:35 , Joe Middleton

Anastasia Potapova has said she will not wear a Spartak Moscow shirt on court again after being warned for doing so during Indian Wells.

Potapova, who has climbed to 25th in the world rankings, was rebuked after warming up in the football shirt during the tournament in California.

Her choice of garment was criticised by Iga Swiatek, who stressed that the Russian should not “show her views in this way” given the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Harry Latham-Coyle reports:

Russian tennis player speaks out after sparking outrage with Spartak Moscow shirt

Kremlin opponent defiant in statement during treason trial

Tuesday 11 April 2023 09:48 , Joe Middleton

Jailed Kremlin opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr. likened judicial proceedings against him on Monday to the sham Stalin-era and later proceedings that condemned his countrymen to prison or death sentences.

Kara-Murza also said he’s proud of his public statements and behavior for which he’s facing charges of treason and spreading false information about the Russian military in Ukraine.

A journalist and a prominent government opponent who twice survived poisonings he blamed on the Kremlin, Kara-Murza has been behind bars since his arrest a year ago. He made his comments near the end of his closed-door trial in a statement posted on Russian social media sites.

Kremlin opponent defiant in statement during treason trial

Russia redeploying ‘heavy flamethrower’ thermobaric weapons to elite frontline troops in Ukraine

Tuesday 11 April 2023 09:07 , Joe Middleton

Russia is likely handing over thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to its elite airborne forces, suggesting its use in the continuing war against Ukraine, the British defence ministry said on Tuesday.

The British defence ministry cited Russian media reports on the transfer of TOS-1A thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to Moscow’s airborne forces (VDV) on 3 April.

Thermobaric weapons, fired using the multiple launch rocket systems, are considered to be one of the most brutal war weapons in existence.

Arpan Rai reports.

Russia redeploying ‘heavy flamethrower’ thermobaric weapons to elite frontline troops

Ukrainian children reunited with families after being taken to Russia

Tuesday 11 April 2023 08:47 , Joe Middleton

Russia forces make gains in Bakhmut but suffer ‘significant casualties’, says US think-tank

Tuesday 11 April 2023 08:30 , Joe Middleton

Russian forces are continuing to make gains in Bakhmut but are suffering “significant casualties”, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Poland’s prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki flies to US for meetings to strengthen economic and defence ties

Tuesday 11 April 2023 08:02 , Joe Middleton

Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has flown to the United States for meetings aimed at strengthening the economic and defence cooperation of the two nations.

Morawiecki is due to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday at the White House. He is also scheduled to have meetings with the representatives of American defence companies during his three-day visit.

“I am flying to the United States to strengthen the alliance with our most powerful ally, with a country that guarantees security in Europe, that especially guarantees security in our part of Europe,” Morawiecki said.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the United States increased its military presence in Poland — a nation on NATO’s eastern flank that borders Ukraine — and has used Poland as a transit country for military and humanitarian aid going into Ukraine.

Poland is also a major donor of aid to Ukraine, and has been ordering tanks and other modern military equipment, mostly from U.S. and South Korean producers, to strengthen its own forces and replace some older equipment sent to Ukraine.

Morawiecki‘s visit follows two visits to Poland by U.S. President Joe Biden since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Additional reporting by Associated Press

US determines Russia has ‘wrongfully detained’ Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich

Tuesday 11 April 2023 07:30 , Joe Middleton

The United States has determined that Russia has “wrongfully detained” Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, effectively saying that espionage charges are bogus and that the case is political.

“Journalism is not a crime,” State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement on Monday. “We condemn the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia, and its ongoing war against the truth.”

The US government would provide all appropriate support to Gershkovich and his family, said Patel.

Patel also called for Russia to release Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian prison and is also designated by Washington as “wrongfully detained.”

Russia’s FSB security service said on March 30 it had arrested Gershkovich, accusing him of gathering information about a Russian defense company that was a state secret.

The Wall Street Journal has denied Gershkovich was spying. The White House has called the espionage charge, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, “ridiculous.”

US President Joe Biden has called for Gershkovich’s release and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in an April 2 telephone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov raised Washington’s concerns over the reporter’s “unacceptable detention.”

Russia ‘destroys large fuel depot’ near Zaporizhzhia

Tuesday 11 April 2023 06:59 , Andy Gregory

Russia's defence ministry said its forces destroyed a depot with 70,000 tonnes of fuel near Zaporizhzhia.

They destroyed Ukrainian army warehouses storing missiles, ammunition and artillery in the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk, the ministry said.

What is a vacuum bomb? The new weapon Russia has admitted unleashing on Ukraine

Tuesday 11 April 2023 06:48 , Arpan Rai

Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine has taken a horrifying turn after Vladimir Putin’s forces admitted using thermobaric weapons against the former Soviet territory.

Thermobaric weapons are considered to be one of the most brutal war weapons in existence.

The missiles are filled with a highly explosive fuel and chemical mix, which, on exploding, can cause supersonic blast waves capable of obliterating everything in their path, including buildings and humans.

They are also known as aerosol bombs or vacuum bombs.

What is a vacuum bomb? The new weapon Russia has admitted unleashing on Ukraine

Russia could use ‘heavy flamethrower' thermobaric missiles in Ukraine – UK

Tuesday 11 April 2023 06:47 , Arpan Rai

Russia is likely transfering TOS-1A thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to its airborne forces, suggesting its use in the continuing war against Ukraine, the British defence ministry said today.

The MoD has cited Russian media reports on the transfer of TOS-1A thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems to Russian airborne forces (VDV) on 3 April.

Thermobaric weapons are considered to be one of the most brutal war weapons in existence.

“The highly destructive TOS-1A, which Russia designates as a ‘heavy flamethrower’, is typically operated by Russia’s specialist Chemical, Biological and Radiological Protection Troops in Ukraine, and has not previously been formally associated with the VDV,” the ministry said.

It added that this transfer likely indicates a future role for the VDV in offensive operations in Ukraine. “It is likely part of efforts to reconstitute the VDV after it suffered heavy casualties in the first nine months of the war,” the MoD said.

Full report: US launches multi-agency search to find source of huge Ukraine document leak

Tuesday 11 April 2023 06:03 , Andy Gregory

The United States has launched a multi-agency investigation after highly classified military and intelligence documents containing sensitive information on topics including Ukraine’s defence were leaked online, my colleague Stuti Mishra reports.

US launches multi-agency search to find source of huge Ukraine document leak

Putin sending special forces, airborne units to help out Wagner

Tuesday 11 April 2023 05:43 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi has said that Russia is sending more forces to help out the Wagner Group in the besieged sector of Bakhmut amid signs of fatigue.

He said that Moscow is sending in special forces and airborne units to help their attack on Bakhmut, as members of Russia’s private mercenary Wagner Group, who have spearheaded the Bakhmut assault, were exhausted.

Ukraine’s general staff said Russian forces had made unsuccessful advances on areas west of Bakhmut and at least 10 towns and villages had come under Russian shelling, including Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar.

A Ukrainian counter-offensive is looming and is long been expected to begin soon after months of attritional warfare in the east.

A Russian winter offensive failed to make much progress, and its troops have made only small advances at huge cost.

The Ukrainian defenders have also taken heavy casualties.

Kremlin defends China over Taiwan military drills

Tuesday 11 April 2023 05:01 , Andy Gregory

China has every right to respond to what it called repeated “provocations” against it and carry out military exercises around Taiwan, the Kremlin has said.

Beijing carried outthe last of three days of drills around Taiwan on Monday, including practicing aerial and naval blockade manoeuvres of the island, which China views as part of its own territory – something Taiwan’s government strongly disputes.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said everyone should respect China and its actions which were in line with international law, saying: “In a very short period of time, you and I have witnessed repeated actions that have been provocative toward the People’s Republic of China.

“And, of course, China has the sovereign right to respond to these provocative actions, including conducting military manoeuvres in strict compliance with international law.”

Mr Peskov also suggested that France, whose president Emmanuel Macron visited China for talks last week, could not broker a peace in Ukraine as Paris is “both indirectly and directly involved in this conflict on the side of Ukraine. Therefore, it is still difficult to imagine any mediation efforts here”.

During his visit to China, Mr Macron called on Chinese leader Xi Jinping to “bring Russia back to its senses” over Ukraine.

Russia claims 75% of Bakhmut captured

Tuesday 11 April 2023 04:56 , Arpan Rai

Vladimir Putin’s forces control more than 75 per cent of the besieged city of Bakhmut, the Russia-installed head of the occupied part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region has said.

Moscow-backed regional leader Denis Pushilin published footage of himself on Telegram purportedly visiting the small mining city where battles have raged since last summer.

“I can say with absolute certainty, that more than 75 per cent of the city is under the control of our units,” Pushilin told state-run Rossiya-24 TV channel after his visit.

He has cautioned that it is still too early to talk about Bakhmut’s fall, contrary to premature claims by the Wagner Group mercenary force.

The battle for Bakhmut has been one of the bloodiest of the 13-month war, drawing comparisons with the First World War due to its attritional nature and the massive casualties on both sides.

Tactics will change, not strategic moves, says Ukraine after leaks

Tuesday 11 April 2023 04:20 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak has said Kyiv’s strategic plans remained unchanged after a leak of classified war documents, but that specific tactics were always subject to change.

This comes after reports from Volodymyr Zelensky’s office that Ukraine had already changed its war plans in response to the leak of a large number of secret documents relating to the conflict in the US.

The secretary of the national security and defence council, Oleksiy Danilov, told Reuters: “The opinion of people who have nothing to do with this do not interest us... The circle of people who possess information is extremely restricted.”

National security experts and US officials suspect the leaker could be American, but have not ruled out pro-Russian actors.Russia, however, has said that any inclination to blame to Moscow is like a “disease”.

“There is in fact a tendency to always blame everything on Russia. It is, in general, a disease,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, without commenting directly on the leak.

Volodymyr Zelensky meets Richard Branson

Tuesday 11 April 2023 04:02 , Arpan Rai

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has met British billionaire Richard Branson and welcomed him on board as an ambassador for a Ukrainian online fundraising platform.

“I met today with Richard Branson – a prominent British entrepreneur and a longtime friend of Ukraine. He has been supporting us since 2014 – both in words and with concrete work. Now he has decided to join the team of United24 ambassadors. I am grateful for that!” he said in his nightly address.

Mr Zelensky added: “We discussed how the global influence of Mr Branson can help us in our recovery, reconstruction of our educational institutions, attraction of technological assistance for Ukraine, in particular, to carry out humanitarian demining.”

United24 is the official fundraising platform of Ukraine and an initiative led by Mr Zelensky to seek donations and aid for rebuilding the war-hit nation. The online platform allows one-click donations to Ukraine and was set up in a bid to help the country after the full-scale invasion by Russia in February last year.

Watch: The Independent speaks to Bucha residents a year after Russia’s invasion

Tuesday 11 April 2023 03:59 , Andy Gregory

Arrest of WSJ reporter ‘a brazen act’, says World Bank president

Tuesday 11 April 2023 02:52 , Andy Gregory

Russia’s arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is a “brazen act” and violates the vital freedom of the press, including the safety of journalists, World Bank president David Malpass has warned.

Russian Federal Security Service investigators have charged Mr Gershkovich with espionage, which the journalist denies.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on 30 March it had detained Gershkovich in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and had opened an espionage case against him for collecting what it said were state secrets about the military industrial complex.

Ukraine invites Narendra Modi for visit and calls on India to be more involved in resolving war

Tuesday 11 April 2023 01:41 , Andy Gregory

Kyiv wants India to be more involved in helping to resolve Russia’s war and has sought a visit by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister has said.

Ukraine also expects India to invite Ukrainian officials to participate in G20 events and intensify political dialogue with Kyiv, Emine Dzhaparova told broadcaster CNBC TV18.

India holds the rotating G20 presidency this year and hosts a leaders summit in September. New Delhi has not been as critical of Moscow as others for its invasion of Ukraine and has even increased its purchasing of Russian oil while others have sought to buy less or ban it.

Ms Dzhaparova, who is on a four-day visit to New Delhi, told the broadcaster: “We believe India should be engaged and involved in the Ukraine issue to a great extent”.

“We believe intensification of political dialogue on the highest level is first step towards this big goal. My president is requesting a phone conversation with the prime minister. We are looking forward to welcome him in Kyiv one day,” she said.

Russian journalists demand politician’s release ahead of ‘Stalinist’ treason verdict

Tuesday 11 April 2023 00:34 , Andy Gregory

Dozens of Russian journalists and rights activists have urged authorities to free a prominent opposition politician facing up to 25 years in jail for alleged treason and other charges said to be politically motivated, after he criticised the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, and his crackdown on dissent.

The appeal to release Vladimir Kara-Murza, 41, came ahead of a court hearing in Moscow as his trial – which the journalists likened to the political terror meted out by Soviet leader Josef Stalin in the 1930s – draws to a close.

Russian state prosecutors have requested a 25-year prison sentence for Kara-Murza, a father of three and author and former journalist who holds Russian and British passports. He is expected to deliver a final speech at Monday’s hearing, his lawyer Vadim Prokhorov has said.

Kara-Murza has spent years in opposition to Mr Putin and has lobbied foreign governments and institutions to sanction Russia and individual Russians for purported human rights violations. Prosecutors accuse him of discrediting the Russian military and treason among other charges.

What is in files leaked from Pentagon?

Monday 10 April 2023 23:28 , Joe Sommerlad

The five-week-old files published in a Pentagon leak reveal details of Ukraine’s requirements ahead of the spring counteroffensive it is planning, as well as how the US and Nato might meet them by way of supplying armaments.

The documents also reportedly disclose sensitive information on other nations like South Korea and Israel, as well as maps recording recent battlefield movements in Bakhmut and Kharkiv. One of the documents gave details of internal discussions among senior South Korean officials about US pressure on Seoul to supply weapons to Ukraine, and its policy of not doing so.

They do not reveal specific resistance battle plans, however, although Kyiv has nevertheless been forced to amend its strategy as a result of the leak, CNN reported on Monday, citing a source close to President Zelensky.

According to military analysts who have inspected the files, certain details appear to have been modified from their original format to exaggerate the American tally of Ukrainians killed in the war while downplaying the number of Russian troops thought to have been killed, adding to the suspicion of Russian involvement.

Pope renews call to pray for peace celebrating Easter Monday

Monday 10 April 2023 22:33 , AP

Pope Francis renewed his call to pray for peace on Easter Monday, celebrating the Regina Coeli (Queen of the Heavens) prayer in St Peter’s Square.

At the end of the prayer, the pontiff recalled the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to decades of violent conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.

In a restatement of his Easter message, he invited people to continue to pray for peace in the world, especially in troubled Ukraine. Pope Francis on Sunday invoked prayers for both the Ukrainian and Russian people and praised nations which welcome refugees.

Pope renews call to pray for peace celebrating Easter Monday

Turkey launches first amphibious assault ship

Monday 10 April 2023 21:31 , Andy Gregory

Turkey has launched its first amphibious assault ship, with Ankara aiming to extend its drone capabilities from land-based to naval operations as Russia’s war in Ukraine heightens regional tensions.

The TCG Anadolu can handle only light aircraft, chiefly helicopters and jets that can take off from shorter runways. It is 232 meters long and 32 meters wide, and can carry some 1,400 personnel – one battalion of soldiers – combat vehicles and support units to operate overseas.

“This vessel will allow us to conduct military and humanitarian operations in every corner of the world, when needed,” President Tayyip Erdogan said at the launch ceremony in Istanbul, adding: “We see this vessel as a symbol that will consolidate Turkey’s regional leadership position.”

Ankara’s original plan was to deploy F-35 B-model fighter jets, which can take off from shorter runways, on its largest warship. But its plans had to change after the US removed its Nato ally from its F-35 program over its purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems in 2019. Turkey then converted TCG Anadolu into a drone carrier.

Watch: Ukrainian children reunited with families after being taken to Russia

Monday 10 April 2023 20:29 , Andy Gregory

Fingers point at Russia – and US – over leaked Pentagon files

Monday 10 April 2023 19:27 , Andy Gregory

Three US officials have told Reuters they believe Russia or a pro-Russia agent is behind the leak of Pentagon files containing details of Ukraine’s planned spring counteroffensive.

But former senior Pentagon official Michael Mulroy told the same outlet: “The focus now is on this being a US leak, as many of the documents were only in US hands.”

The Kremlin said on Monday that there was a general tendency to always blame Russia for everything when asked about accusations that Moscow may have been behind the leaks.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “I cannot comment on this in any way. You and I know that there is in fact a tendency to always blame everything on Russia. It is, in general, a disease.” Russia’s Foreign Spy Service declined comment when asked by Reuters about the leaks.

Ukrainian air defence could run out of missiles by May, leaked Pentagon files suggest

Six civilians killed in latest Russian shelling

Monday 10 April 2023 18:30 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine’s presidential office said at least six civilians were wounded in the latest Russian shelling.

Separately, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russian forces struck a power plant and residential buildings in the eastern province.

The Russians also shelled nine border villages in the provinces of Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in televised remarks that the country has nearly seven million internally displaced people, including about one million children.

Most of them have abandoned their homes in the east and the south to move to safer locations in central and western Ukraine.

Half of Ukraine soldiers returned ‘injured, ill or tortured'

Monday 10 April 2023 17:34 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War alleged that almost half of the 80 men and 20 women soldiers who returned home “have serious injuries, illnesses or have been tortured.” It presented no evidence for its claims.

According to Ukrainian news reports, one of the women prisoners is Valeriia Karpilenko, a border guard who had helped defend Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant. Last May, she married a Ukrainian soldier in the steel plant’s basement while Russian forces surrounded the complex. Her husband was killed three days later.

The freed Russians were being flown on military transport planes to Moscow for medical treatment and rehabilitation, the Defense Ministry said.

Such exchanges represent one of the few areas of cooperation between Ukraine and Russia. The two sides have returned hundreds of each other’s soldiers, as well as the bodies of fallen troops, since the war began.

Russia and Ukraine swap more than 200 prisoners

Monday 10 April 2023 16:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia and Ukraine carried out a major prisoner swap on Monday, with 106 Russian prisoners of war being freed in exchange for 100 Ukrainians, both sides said.

In a Telegram post, Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak said the released Ukrainians included defenders of Mariupol city and its Azovstal steel plant, captured in the war’s opening months.

Russia‘s Defence Ministry said its prisoners were freed after a process of negotiations.

Russia and Ukraine have engaged in periodic prisoner swaps since the beginning of the war in Feburary 2022, in a rare example of direct contact between the enemies.

Turkey launches its first aircraft carrier, eyes drone capabilities

Monday 10 April 2023 15:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Turkey launched its first aircraft carrier on Monday, aiming to extend its drone capabilities from land-based to naval operations amid increased regional tensions as war rages in Ukraine on the other side of the Black Sea.

The TCG Anadolu can handle only light aircraft, chiefly helicopters and jets that can take off from shorter runways. It is 232 meters long and 32 meters wide, and can carry some 1,400 personnel - one battalion of soldiers - combat vehicles and support units to operate overseas.

“This vessel will allow us to conduct military and humanitarian operations in every corner of the world, when needed,” President Tayyip Erdogan said at the launch ceremony in Istanbul.

“We see this vessel as a symbol that will consolidate Turkey’s regional leadership position,” he said.

The amphibious assault ship was built in Istanbul’s Sedef Shipyard by a Turkish-Spanish consortium, based on the design of Spanish light aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I.

Ankara’s original plan was to deploy F-35 B-model fighter jets, which can take off from shorter runways, on its largest warship.

But its plans had to change after the United States removed Turkey, a NATO ally, from its F-35 program over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems in 2019. Turkey then converted TCG Anadolu into a drone carrier.

In addition to helicopters, Turkey plans to deploy on the new carrier Bayraktar TB3 and Kizilelma unmanned aerial combat vehicles - both under production by Turkish defence firm Baykar - as well as Hurjet light attack aircraft being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

TCG Anadolu will be the world’s first aircraft carrier whose fleet is made up mostly of armed drones once the plan is implemented.

Turkey, which has NATO’s second largest army, shares a border with conflict-ridden Syria and Iraq and has a long Mediterranean as well as Black Sea coastline.

In the nearly 14-month Ukraine war, Turkey has positioned itself as an intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow, helping to broker with the United Nations a deal allowing for the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports via the Black Sea.

Russian-installed Donetsk region chief says Russia controls 75% of Bakhmut

Monday 10 April 2023 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Russian-installed head of the Moscow-controlled part of Ukraine‘s Donetsk region Denis Pushilin told state television on Monday that Russian forces controlled 75% of the embattled city of Bakhmut.

Russian journalists demand politician Kara-Murza's release ahead of 'Stalinist' treason verdict

Monday 10 April 2023 14:21 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Dozens of Russian journalists and rights activists on Monday called on the authorities to free a prominent opposition politician facing up to 25 years in jail for alleged treason and other charges which they said were politically motivated.

The appeal to release Vladimir Kara-Murza, 41, came ahead of a court hearing in Moscow as his trial, which the journalists likened to the political terror meted out by Soviet leader Josef Stalin in the 1930s, draws to a close.

Russian state prosecutors on Thursday requested a 25-year prison sentence for Kara-Murza, a father of three and author and former journalist who holds Russian and British passports. He is expected to deliver a final speech at Monday’s hearing, his lawyer Vadim Prokhorov has said.

Kara-Murza has spent years in opposition to President Vladimir Putin and has lobbied foreign governments and institutions to sanction Russia and individual Russians for purported human rights violations.

Prosecutors accuse him of discrediting the Russian military and treason among other charges after he criticised Russia‘s war in Ukraine - which it calls a “special military operation” - Moscow’s crackdown on dissent, and Putin.

Ukraine says Russia using 'scorched earth' tactics in Bakhmut

Monday 10 April 2023 13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A senior Ukrainian commander said on Monday that Russian troops were using “scorched earth” tactics in the embattled city of Bakhmut and destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery.

Ukrainian forces have hung on for months in Bakhmut, a small city in eastern Donetsk region, where the fiercest fighting of Moscow’s full-scale Feb. 2022 invasion has killed thousands of soldiers and been dubbed the “meat-grinder”.

“The enemy switched to so-called scorched earth tactics from Syria. It is destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery fire,” said Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine‘s ground forces.

But the defence of the city of Bakhmut continued, he said.

Syrskyi, who is overseeing the operation in the east, on Sunday visited front line areas with the fiercest fighting around Bakhmut, Ukraine‘s Military Media Centre said.

“The situation is difficult but controllable,” he said.

Ukraine also accused Russia of using “scorched earth” tactics last summer in its assault on Sievierodonetsk, a city in the eastern Luhansk region. Kyiv’s forces were forced to withdraw from there in July after a Russian onslaught.

In pictures: Scenes from bloody Bakhmut as intense battle continues

Monday 10 April 2023 13:11 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine says only 1,800 civilians still living in 'ruins' of Avdiivka

Monday 10 April 2023 12:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The civilian population of the embattled eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka has dwindled to 1,800 people from 32,000 before the war, as Russian forces bear down on the city to try to capture it, the local governor said on Monday.

Avdiivka has been one of the main targets of a Russian winter offensive that Moscow hoped would reinvigorate its Feb. 2022 invasion and which has only been able to make small territorial advances in the east.

“The Russians have turned Avdiivka into a total ruin,” said Pavlo Kyrylenko, Donetsk’s regional governor.

He said the city was hit by an air strike on Monday that destroyed a multi-storey building.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties as all the residents of the building evacuated in time,” he said. “In total, around 1,800 people remain in Avdiivka, all of whom risk their lives every day.”

In a separate statement, the Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces were continuing to mount offensive operations around Avdiivka, but were suffering heavy losses in both manpower and equipment.

Belarus leader says he wants guarantees that Russia will defend his country if it is attacked

Monday 10 April 2023 12:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, told Russia‘s defence minister on Monday that he wanted guarantees that Moscow would defend his country if it was attacked, the state-owned BelTA news agency reported.

BelTA cited Lukashenko as making the remarks to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting in the Belarusian capital Minsk.

Lukashenko was cited as saying that he had previously discussed the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin who he said had agreed with him that such security guarantees were necessary and needed to be formalised.

“In general, it sounded at the talks (with Putin) that in the case of aggression against Belarus, the Russian Federation would protect Belarus as its own territory. These are the kind of security (guarantees) we need,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying.

Belarus, which currently hosts a contingent of Russian forces, has offered assistance to Moscow during its military campaign in Ukraine which Russia calls “a special military operation.”

In the war’s earliest days, Minsk allowed Moscow to use its territory to launch an ultimately unsuccessful assault on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

Since late last year, a flurry of military drills and visits from high-level Russian officials have sparked speculation that Belarus may formally join a new attack on Ukraine.

Lukashenko has consistently denied such intentions, but has said that Belarus will respond to any incursions onto its territory or attempts to foment unrest.

Kremlin says China has right to conduct Taiwan exercises, France cannot mediate in Ukraine

Monday 10 April 2023 11:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Kremlin said on Monday that China had every right to respond to what it called “provocations” and carry out military exercises around Taiwan.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said it was hard to imagine France, whose president Emmanuel Macron visited China for talks last week, playing a mediation role in Ukraine because Paris had taken the side of one of the parties in the conflict.

Lukashenko says Belarus needs guarantees that Russia will defend it if attacked

Monday 10 April 2023 10:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday that Belarus needs guarantees that Russia will defend Belarus “like its own territory” in the event of external attack, state-owned BelTA reported.

Ukrainian says defenders of Bakhmut still holding out

Monday 10 April 2023 10:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s general staff said Russian forces had made unsuccessful advances on areas west of Bakhmut and at least 10 towns and villages had come under Russian shelling. The Russians had also made no headway in attacks on Avdiivka, it said.

Donetsk is one of four provinces in eastern and southern Ukraine that Russia declared annexed last year and is seeking to fully occupy in what appears to be a shift in its war aims after failing to overrun the country soon after its invasion in February 2022.

Western analysts say both sides have been losing large numbers of troops in the battle for Bakhmut, a regional transport and logistics hub prior to the war.

Control of Bakhmut could allow Russia to directly target Ukrainian defensive lines in Chasiv Yar in the east and open the way for its forces to advance on two bigger cities in the Donetsk region - Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

While Ukraine has said it wants to inflict as many casualties as possible on the Russian forces as its prepares its own counteroffensive, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week acknowledged that if troops risked being encircled they could be pulled back.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said Russian forces controlled the centre of Bakhmut, with much of their assault now focusing on the railway station.

“There is heavy fighting in the city centre and the enemy is gradually moving toward the western outskirts,” Zhdanov said.

Britain’s Defence Ministry said that over the last seven days, Russia also appeared to have increased its armoured assaults around the town of Marinka, also in Donetsk province.

“Russia continues to give a high priority to resourcing operations in the broader Donetsk sector, including the Marinka and Avdiivka areas, expending significant resources for minimal gains,” it said.

Is the world on the precipice of a second cold war?

Monday 10 April 2023 09:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The rivalry could get out of hand, with dynamics in Washington and Beijing leading the world into a gratuitous confrontation between nuclear powers, writes Borzou Daragahi:

In the space of just one week, the influential American news and opinion outlet Foreign Policy published no less than six pieces demanding US and Western policymakers confront China more forcefully on human rights, shipping, finance, climate change, quantum computing, and microchips.

Just in case anyone missed the point, another called on Washington to create an “economic war council” to add a financial component to the military posture against China.

A new cold war is being thrust upon the world – one that could shape lives and nations for decades to come.

Is the world on the precipice of a second cold war? | Borzou Daragahi

What’s the latest from the battlefield?

Monday 10 April 2023 09:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Here is the latest update from the frontline:

* Ukraine‘s military reported continued Russian strikes, with the heaviest fighting still focused on two cities in eastern Donetsk region - Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

* Russia has destroyed a depot containing 70,000 tonnes of fuel near the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.

* President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced Russian air strikes coinciding with the observance of Orthodox Palm Sunday, including an attack that killed a father and daughter at home in the city of Zaporizhzhia.

* Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.

Ukraine says Russia switching to 'scorched earth' tactics in Bakhmut

Monday 10 April 2023 08:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The commander of the Ukrainian ground forces said on Monday that Russian troops had switched to “scorched earth” tactics in the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut and were destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery.

Russia‘s assault on Bakhmut, a small city in the Donetsk region, has been the focus of the biggest battle of Moscow’s full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.

“The enemy switched to the so-called scorched earth tactics from Syria. It is destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery fire,” said Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine‘s ground forces.

Ukraine‘s defence of the city of Bakhmut continued, he said.

“The situation is difficult but controllable,” he said in comments quoted by Ukraine‘s Media Military Centre.

He said Russian forces were bringing in special forces and airborne assault units to help their attack on the city as members of Russia‘s Wagner military group had become “exhausted”.

Reuters could not verify the battlefield account.

South Korea to discuss 'issues raised' from leaked documents with US

Monday 10 April 2023 08:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

South Korea is aware of news reports about a leak of several classified U.S. military documents and it plans to discuss “issues raised” as a result of the leak with the United States, a South Korean presidential official said on Sunday.

Several classified U.S. military documents have recently been posted on social media offering a partial, month-old snapshot of the war in Ukraine, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, adding that Russia or pro-Russian elements were likely behind the leak.

Reuters has not been able to verify the authenticity of the documents. The U.S. Justice Department has said it is investigating the leak.

One of the documents, obtained by Reuters, showed details about internal discussions among top South Korean top officials about U.S. pressure on Seoul to help supply weapons to Ukraine, and its policy of not doing so.

The document, which does not appear to have a date on it, said that South Korea had agreed to sell artillery shells to help the United States replenish its stockpiles, insisting that the “end user” should be the U.S. military. But internally, top South Korean officials were worried that the United States would divert them to Ukraine.

The report was based in part on signals intelligence, which suggests the United States had been spying on South Korea, one of its most important allies.

The South Korean presidential official, speaking to reporters, declined to respond to questions about U.S. spying or to confirm any details from the leaked documents.

Asked if South Korea planned to lodge a protest or demand an explanation from the United States, the official, who declined to be identified, said the government would review precedents and cases involving other countries.

South Korea has signed major deals providing hundreds of tanks, aircraft and other weapons to NATO member Poland since Russia invaded Ukraine. But President Yoon Suk Yeol has said that a South Korean law that forbids supplying weapons to countries engaged in conflict makes it difficult to send arms to Ukraine.

The South Korean official said there was no change to South Korea’s policy.